Poll shows broad public support for contact tracing apps

A new survey shows 80 per cent of Canadians support the use of mobile phone data by public health authorities to fight COVID-19.

The poll was completed by Abacus Data from May 2-4, and was commissioned by a group of Canadian senators.

The findings come as Alberta launches a new contact-tracing app, and New Brunswick and other provincial governments consider the same to keep the spread of COVID-19 at bay in order to facilitate a return to normal life, and Canada's privacy commissioners offer cautious guidance on this technology.

Nova Scotia senator and former tech entrepreneur Colin Deacon said he would be shocked if all provinces weren't at least considering this option.

“It's an urgent issue, that we look at all possible approaches to enabling Canadians to feel safe in getting back to work and getting our lives somewhat back to normal. We are in an unsustainable place right now financially and with mental health,” Deacon told Saltwire Network.

The key findings of the report are:

• 90 per cent of Canadians support the continuation of contact tracing in the absence of a vaccine or treatment for COVID-19.

• 80 per cent of Canadians support the use of mobile device data by public health officials to notify those who have been close to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19.

• 87 per cent of Canadians believe contact tracing apps should trigger testing of themselves and others.

• If assured that their data must be kept confidential, large numbers of Canadians would share information from contact tracing apps with their physician (96 per cent), their family (95 per cent), public health officials (91 per cent) and health researchers (87 per cent). Fewer would share with employers and coworkers (75 per cent), other government officials (73 per cent), law enforcement (68 per cent) and social media platforms (35 per cent).

• 65 per cent of Canadians support the mandatory use of contact tracing apps.

The findings were consistent across Canada, by province, gender and age.

Deacon said he was surprised by some of the results.

“I was surprised that so many Canadians were not aware that contact tracing is done in analog form. ‘Can you remember where you were, who you met with, when,' and then somebody goes in and literally one by one gets in touch with people. So it's subject to a lot of limitations,” he said.

“Sixty-five per cent suggesting that it should be mandated was way higher than anything I would have guessed.”

Unsurprising to Deacon was the fact that Canadians expressed more hesitation about sharing the results, even if confidential, to law enforcement and social media platforms than with public health officials, health researchers and physicians.

“Canadians were concerned about this information being used in a way that discriminated against them,” Deacon said.

On Thursday, Canada's federal, provincial and territorial privacy commissioners issued a joint statement with nine key principles that governments should keep in mind when considering contact tracing technology.

For example, they maintain the use of the apps must be voluntary, with a clear legal basis and meaningful consent. Further, any measures must be necessary and proportionate as well as proven to be effective toward the intended outcome and minimally intrusive. Personal information should be used only for its intended public health purpose, and identified or aggregate data should be used whenever possible. The commissioners also highlighted the importance of transparency, accountability and necessary safeguards in using such technology.